IIB 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 276 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 26, 2019 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 

Labor, and Pensions 

AN ACT 

To direct the Secretary of Education to establish the Recognizing Inspiring School Employees (RISE) Award Program recognizing excellence exhibited by classified school 

employees providing services to students in prekindergarten through high school. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Recognizing Achieve3 ment in Classified School Employees Act’’. 

4 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

5 Congress finds the following: 

6 (1) Classified school employees provide valuable 

7 service in the United States. 

8 (2) Classified school employees provide essential 

9 services, such as transportation, facilities mainte10 nance and operations, food service, safety, and 

11 health care. 

12 (3) Classified school employees play a vital role 

13 in providing for the welfare and safety of students. 

14 (4) Classified school employees strive for excel15 lence in all areas of service to the education commu16 nity. 

17 (5) Exemplary classified school employees 

18 should be recognized for their outstanding contribu19 tions to quality education in the United States. 

20 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

21 In this Act: 

22 (1) CLASSIFIED SCHOOL EMPLOYEE.—The term 

23 ‘‘classified school employee’’ means an employee of a 

24 State or of any political subdivision of a State, or an 

25 employee of a nonprofit entity, who works in any 


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1 grade from prekindergarten through high school in 

2 any of the following occupational specialties: 

3 (A) Paraprofessional, including 

4 paraeducator services. 

5 (B) Clerical and administrative services. 

6 (C) Transportation services. 

7 (D) Food and nutrition services. 

8 (E) Custodial and maintenance services. 

9 (F) Security services. 

10 (G) Health and student services. 

11 (H) Technical services. 

12 (I) Skilled trades. 

13 (2) OTHER DEFINITIONS.—The terms used in 

14 this Act have the meanings given the terms in sec15 tion 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Edu16 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). 

17 SEC. 4. RECOGNITION PROGRAM ESTABLISHED. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Education shall 

19 establish a national recognition program to be known as 

20 the ‘‘Recognizing Inspiring School Employees Award Pro21 gram’’ or the ‘‘award program’’. The purpose of the award 

22 program shall be to recognize and promote the commit23 ment and excellence exhibited by classified school employ24 ees who provide exemplary service to students in pre25 kindergarten through high school. 


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1 (b) AWARD.— 

2 (1) IN GENERAL.—Prior to May 31 of each 

3 year (beginning with the second calendar year that 

4 begins after the date of the enactment of this Act), 

5 the Secretary shall select a classified school em6 ployee to receive the Recognizing Inspiring School 

7 Employees Award for the year. 

8 (2) NON-MONETARY VALUE.—The award and 

9 recognition provided under this Act shall have no 

10 monetary value. 

11 (c) SELECTION PROCESS.— 

12 (1) NOMINATION PROCESS.— 

13 (A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than Novem14 ber 1 of each year (beginning with the first cal15 endar year that begins after the date of the en16 actment of this Act), the Secretary shall solicit 

17 nominations of classified school employees from 

18 the occupational specialties described in section 

19 3(1) from the Governor of each State. 

20 (B) NOMINATION SUBMISSIONS.—In order 

21 for individuals in a State to be eligible to re22 ceive recognition under this section, the Gov23 ernor of the State shall consider nominations 

24 submitted by the following: 

25 (i) Local educational agencies. 


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1 (ii) School administrators. 

2 (iii) Professional associations. 

3 (iv) Labor organizations. 

4 (v) Educational service agencies. 

5 (vi) Nonprofit entities. 

6 (vii) Parents and students. 

7 (viii) Any other group determined ap8 propriate by the Secretary. 

9 (2) DEMONSTRATION.—Each Governor of a 

10 State who desires individuals in the State to receive 

11 recognition under this section shall submit the nomi12 nations described in paragraph (1) to the Secretary 

13 in such manner as may be required by the Secretary. 

14 Each such nomination shall contain, at a minimum, 

15 demonstrations of excellence in the following areas: 

16 (A) Work performance. 

17 (B) School and community involvement. 

18 (C) Leadership and commitment. 

19 (D) Local support. 

20 (E) Enhancement of classified school em21 ployees’ image in the community and schools. 

22 (3) SELECTION.—The Secretary shall develop 

23 uniform national guidelines for evaluating nomina24 tions submitted under paragraph (2) in order to se25 lect the most deserving nominees based on the demVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:43 Feb 26, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H276.RFS H276

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1 onstrations made in the areas described in such 

2 paragraph. 

Passed the House of Representatives February 25, 

2019. 

Attest: CHERYL L. JOHNSON, 

Clerk. 


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